I'll Be There For You
by LITERALLYLEN
Summary: The one when the Pokeani cast are just some confused young adults trying to navigate the real world with their best friends by their sides, they'll go through happiness and heartache and a whole array of different emotions, but will always have one another. /OR/ A series of oneshots inspired by different Friends storylines.
1. The One With The Bridal Gown

"So," Dawn deposits herself on the sofa, coffee mug in hand and legs stretched out in front of her. "What do you guys got planned for tonight?"

"Oh nothing," Misty leans back, promptly snatching the muffin Dawn's got half way to her mouth right from her unsuspecting grasp. "mostly just reveling over our newly emptied third room without that hag Eunice finally having left."

"Hey! I literally just bought that!"

"And I appreciate it, I was starving at work _all_ day!" Misty takes a huge bite, some of the crumbs getting stuck in her pretty, ginger hair. Dawn sniffs with a wrinkle to her nose, giving Misty a pointed cluck of the tongue at her less than polished demeanor, to which Misty just retaliates with a playful waggle to her own.

"Oh Mew! You're impossible, and I have no idea why I ever agreed to room with you for an entire bloody year!"

"Cause Eunice was the literal devil incarnate and you feared being swallowed in one of her hellish tributes to the under lords?" Misty offers with a taunting quirk of the brow.

"That woman had some nasty auras," Iris, bare foot and crossed legged on the love seat to their left, intones seriously with an understanding nod. "I can run and get some incense to help rid your apartment from all it's bad mojo if you guys want?"

Dawn and Misty stammer with twin expressions of befuddlement. Both seriously dreading the thought of airing out their loft for another three months straight just like the last time Iris ever so selflessly offered her… unique service. But also neither girl had the heart to turn her down— for fuck's sake Iris is like the most purest soul ever!

Queue Lilycove's resident pretty boy, know it all swooping in to do it for them.

"Iris c'mon," Gary leaps onto the sofa's arm, taking Dawn's coffee right from her grasp.

"What the heck! Is it like steal from Dawn day or something!"

Gary ignores her.

"Iris, no one believes in that mystical mumbo jumbo! It's all a load of rubbish,. Mist and DeeDee over here don't need any candles or junk just cause some crazy, judgmental hag finally moved out."

Iris turns her head, scoffing at Gary's superiority complex.

"She once started cutting up my shorts with a pair of scissors cause, _and I quote_ "Only tarts wear that sort of flapper attire."" Misty blurts, which results in the others to eye the red head with varying degrees of skepticism. "I was wearing them when she did it," she fumes, obvious tension still lying heavy on her shoulders.

"Oh Mist," Dawn chuckles, slinking an arm around her friend, and resting her head in the crook of misty's neck and shoulder sympathetically.

"Just for the record, flappers are dresses! Not shorts! She should've been cutting up one of your sparkly mini skirts! Not my favorite denim shorts!"

"Hey!" Dawn jolts back, affronted. "I was on your side you flapper wearing tart!"

"It's survival of the fittest Dawn!" Misty exclaims with a flail to her arms. "And let's face it you're ninety pounds of easily poundable pink and glitter!"

Dawn just gapes at her, totally affronted.

"I am seriously confused to how we ever broached this hypothetical Hunger Games scenario."

Misty just gives her a one armed shrug.

"I was leaning more towards a Fortnite situation, but all and all neither do I."

Dawn nods as if their conversation had any reason to it at all.

"Deal to forget it till the next time we get plastered?"

"No doubt," Misty returns to munching on her muffin and they turn their gazes back to the conversation at hand as if their little side tangent had never happened.

Gary and iris follow suit, both way to familiar with this little, borderline risible, tableau playing out whenever the two close friends are chatting.

"Ya see Iris,"Gary insists with the flourish of the hand. "Eunice, may she rest in piece, was just against the flapper agenda, and now she's spending the rest of eternity buried in the middle of the boonies like she was meant to do all along!" She wasn't possessed with the spirits of the undead or whatever."

Iris huffs, crossing her arms across her small chest, indignant as all get out.

"You are such a prick, you know that?"

"A correct prick is what I think you mean Iris babe," he winks cheekily.

"Okay, first," Dawn wags a finger at Gary, unimpressed. "Eunice was like not that old, she has _way_ more life to live. She's most certainly not dead Gare! Like seriously how long do you think the human lifespan is? Seriously," she presses, leaning forwards. "I need you to answer that. How long do you think people are meant to live! Because Eunice was probably like in her 50s at most… You do realize that one wrinkle in your perfect little face does not a death sentence make. It's important to me that you know that!"

He rolls his eyes at Dawn's ribbing before taking another sip of her latte.

"And second, aren't you like from the boonies too? You and Ash are _both_ from Pallet Town… Which is in the middle of Kanto."

"Dawn would you like to make _steal from Dawn day_ a daily holiday? Cause if not, i reckon you begin to shut your pretty little mouth up."

"Oh c'mon Gare," Misty crows, her eyes lit up with glee, and voice adopting a distinct Kantoneese twang. "Don't ya wanna tell us about the cornucopia of wholesome living, or about your favorite hoedowns, and hee-ha pageants growing up on your gramps' pokemon ranch?"

"I loath you all! You people are the reason why this friend group can't have one bloody conversation that's got even an ounce of intelligence involved!"

The girls all curl into themselves with laughter, completely missing the chimes of the cafe's bell announcing the arrival of a new customer.

"Hey guys, what's so funny?"

"Oh great now Ashy-boy's here to prove ya'll right!" Gary laments, standing up completely in a huff.

"Did you say ya'll?" Iris goads, manic grin swept across her pretty face.

"Watch it Gare-bear, your Kantoneese is showing," Dawn tacks on, trying to lift up a completely keeled over Misty.

"I loath you all!" Is all Gary shouts before storming off, pushing straight through a very confused looking Drew.

"What's his problem?" Drew asks while slipping off his rain jacket before sitting on Dawn's other side, Ash taking the seat opposite Iris.

"Oh nothing, just normal Gary antics," Iris waves off, smug as all get out. "I'm gonna go grab a cookie, anyone want one?" They all raise their hands. "Right, I don't know why I bothered to even ask."

"So, you guys still need help moving out all of Eunice's creepy stuff this afternoon?" Ash takes a sip out of Gary's discarded mug, which makes him grimace. "Gross, who drinks black coffee?"

"I do," Dawn snarks, snatching it right out of his hands. "And does you well for taking someone else's drink."

Drew laughs at Dawn's pouting, scrubbing a hand in her primly straightened hair, making her swat him away prissily.

"God you're annoying! You know that?"

"What can I say DeeDee, 's what big brothers are for."

"The next person to call me DeeDee I swear I'll kick'm in the junk! Try me!"

No one does.

"Wait," Misty eyes Dawn incredulously. "if you know it's gross, why in the name of Mew are you drinking that crap?"

"Cause Misty!" Dawn snipes with a glower. "Not all of us spend all the living day swimming around in her pool with her pokemon! Some of us need to be on a strict, no taste regiment to keep slim!"

"You still scared you'll get fat again?" Drew cuts right through her pretty words with a knowing smirk, and Dawn just glares at him with all the hatred she could possibly muster.

"Oh woah, Dawn you use to be fat?" Ash asks with a chuckle, beyond bemused.

"Oh shut up Ash! You're from the boonies!"

He blinks.

"No I'm not… I'm from Pallet Town…"

"Ah Mist…" Dawn leans over Drew's shoulder to whisper in the redhead's ear. "Explain to me again why we're all standing in the middle of our living room staring at Eunice's totally rank chair?"

"Breathe it in Dawn," Misty sucks in a breath, shoulders pinched back with gusto. "'S the last of her crap! This marks a new beginning in our journeys! One void of haggish broads, and lectures about adhering to victorian era tenements. We are officially each other's only flatmates! Doesn't that feel amazing! Smell the freedom woman!"

"Freedom smells like moth balls and pea soup," Ash remarks obliviously, making Drew role his eyes in exasperation.

"Alright I'm always here for sentimentalism and all that jazz, but i'm kind of on a time limit here ladies." Drew tells them with a tapping to his wrist, one distinctly void of any sort of watch.

"Oh right, you've got that date with Briana tonight!" Dawn chirps with a little wiggle to her perfectly manicured brows.

Misty's eyes widen.

"'S this the same Brianna who like totally stocked you all last semester? I mean she took all the same classes, and joined the same study groups and everything!"

"Don't forget attending every mock contest he ever entered," Dawn tacks on.

"Wait, who's side are you on anyways?"

"I'm always on your side big brother!" Dawn smiles prettily. "'S just you sure you want to go out with this particular girl?"

Drew just shrugs.

"She's committed."

"More like she needs to be committed," Misty snarks underneath her breath.

"Rude."

"Accurate."

"Brianna's a nice girl, who just so happened to be a fan of my work as a coordinator. What's so wrong about that?"

"You hate any and all attention you get from your coordinating, especially that of the opposite sex." Dawn reminds with hiked brows.

"That's a total slander of my character Dawn!"

"She's kind of right Drew, you are kind of a weenie when it comes to that kind of stuff man," Ash can't help but interject. "I mean 's not a bad thing, I totally get it. I hate the attention gym battles can get sometimes, but you seriously wanna go through on this date or whatever."

Drew's shoulders slump, defeatist.

"Look she asked me out, and I wasn't gonna say no. Besides, you never know. Maybe it can be like a whimsical, _boy met girl, girl met boy_ , kind of ordeal. Ya know, like a story we can tell our kids one day… You know… way off in the future? Like way, _way_ off… So far off in the future."

"Oh my brother, the romantic." Dawn folds her hands over her chest with a teasing smile. "You poor, poor fool."

Drew rolls back his entire head this time, eyes alone definitely not enough to omit his irritation.

"Arceus help me, can we just get moving huh?"

"Fine Ken doll," Misty groans, signaling for the others to each take an end of the hefty chair so to finally toss it outside on the curb where it belongs.

half a dozen breaks from lifting to the hallway alone, four stubbed toes, a broken nail (namely Dawn's), and Drew spending a good ten minutes alone screaming at them to _"pivot!"_ And the foursome finally managed to get rid of the forsaken chair.

"I say we celebrate!" Ash exclaims, the rest of them still trying to catch their breaths. "I'll order us an entire chocolate cake!"

They watch disbelievingly as Ash sprints back into the cafe, while they just barely manage to drag through the front doors and to their ordinary seats on the sofa towards the front.

"How does he do it!" Dawn exclaims through labored breaths, collapsing against Drew's shoulder.

"I reckon he traded in his final remaining brain cells for some seriously intense caffeine pills."

Misty uses her last sprout of energy to cuff Drew on the back of the head before she lounges back on the seat Iris had been occupying earlier.

"Oy, you guys look awful! I'm seriously tempted to fine you guys for being so sweaty in my cafe."

"Yo Barry, give us a break, we just got finished moving the last of Misty and Dawn's creepy old roommate's stuff."

Barry puts his hands on his hips, looking at Drew incredulously.

"I thought you lot were doing that last weekend."

"We were," Misty nods. "There was still her totally gross chair we just threw out though."

Barry snorts.

"You're all looking so out of breath over one chair?"

"Hey! It was a heavy chair!"

Barry just rolls his eyes, passing by Ash as he sits back down.

"You guys look awful," Iris crows, walking in with Gary, shopping bags in each of their hands.

"Yeah, you guys would too if you actually helped out," Dawn sulks, fanning her hand over her face to get some wind lashing against her.

"Oh get off it, Iris and I made those plans to check out that new flee market weeks ago."

"Weren't you guys like just at each others throats a few hours ago?" Drew intones, sitting up and pressing his elbows against his knees.

"Yuh, but he's still got the keenest eye for what's actually authentically hand made carpets and bags, or not." Iris smiles congenially.

"'S all in the stitching," Gary smirks, moving to cut the cake Barry had just set down on the coffee table in front of them.

"Cute, it's cute that you guys got to enjoy yourselves while we all suffered," Misty hisses, snatching the dessert from Gary's hand. "You don't deserve yummy sweetness you pampered pricks!"

"This means war Waterflower, you do realize that, don't you?"

"Bring it!"

"THe north never forgets!"

"Yeah I know, 's why you refused to cancel your plans to help us out!"

Gary and Misty are at each other's throats at this point, making everyone else laugh at their antics.

"Alright, now as much as I'd love to sit here and see ya'll snipe at each other," Drew stands up, stretching out his long, but well toned limbs. "I've still gotta meat up with Brianna for that movie."

"Dude," Gary frowns, confused.. "I mean the chick's cute an doll, but I didn't think you were actually into her like that."

"He's not," Dawn chimes in. "Dear old Drew over here is just a pitiful romantic who wants to find his other half before he can actually grow a mustache."

Drew glares down at her, but is pulled out of his irritation when Gary slings an arm over his shoulders.

"Bro, my man, what are you doing?"

"What?" Drew scoffs. "I like the idea of some romance, it's seriously lacking in our current day."

"romance!" Gary balks. "What like going steady with a girl?"

"yeah," Drew nods sagely, thumbs hooked into the rings of his jeans. "Exactly like that. Being with the girl I'm meant to be with as soon as possible. What's oo wrong with that?"

"Dude! We've discussed this, women are like ice-cream! Every flavor is delicious and beautiful, but you don't' want to actually settle down with one for the rest of your life! That's insanity! And frankly downright rude to all the other wonderful flavors and types. What of the custard Andrew! What of the custard!"

Drew's face goes very, very flat— totally over Gary's dramatics.

"Now I want ice-cream," Ash pouts, and is promptly ignored.

"Man maybe you don't wanna taste the same thing every day, but I do. I like the thought of that, of having someone like that to be with. Hell, if I could I'd ask for my future bride to walk in, right here, right now, already dressed so we can just finally start our forever together."

Ash leaves to scout for some ice-cream, and Gary looks at Drew like he doesn't know where he went wrong with him.

What none of them notice is the chimes of the door bells, and a lovely figure stepping through the threshold, dawning a full on, pearly white, intricately beaded, satin ball gown with a train probably half her height.

Misty, Dawn, and Iris chorus a disbelieving "Oh My God," at the sight of the beautiful bride.

"Drew, I have never asked you for a thing a day in my life, but for the love of Mew ask for a million dollars right now."

"Misty, not now—"

"Do it damn it!"

Both boys stagger back at her tone. Eventually the pair of them turn back to catch sight of the new comer, even though, astonishingly, she seems to be completely oblivious to all of them.

"OH my Mew—"

"Yeah," Gary nods. "Who's the hottie in white?"

"It's her wedding day pig!" Iris chastises. "You can't hit on her!"

"Hey! There is no ring on her finger!" Gary counter haughtily.

"It's probably under her glove dummy! God you are such a kid!"

"I resent that."

"I resent that figure," Misty interjects. "Damn that tiny little girl's got some curves."

Misty looks at Dawn curiously, wondering why she hasn't spoken anything since her initial shock.

"Dawn is everything alright?"

"Ye-yeah," Dawn assures. "But, I think I know that girl though."

Everyone, save for Drew, look at her skeptically as Dawn walks up behind the ravishing bride.

"May? May Maple?"

Almost immediately— with long caramel toned locks lashing in the space between them— the bride twirls around to meat Dawn eye to eye.

She gapes, pretty face dusted red, and sparkling blue eyes in obvious distress. But it's like her entire being lights up with the sight of Dawn.

"OH Arceus! DeeDee!"

Dawn doesn't have a chance to respond. Ash, from out of no where, and a scoop of chocolate ice-cream in one of his hands, pounces forward.

"Watch out princess!"

He tackles May, and everyone looks at him with unadulterated exasperation.

"Ouch," May wines, making Dawn wince.

 **Author's Note: Thank you so so so much for reading this you lovely sugarplums! This was so much to write! And I'd seriously love you for forever and a day if you actually let me know what you thought of this first chapter!**

 **All my Love**

 **~Len**


	2. The One When Drew Faints

**I'll Be There For You**

 **IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END AFTER *****

"All I've got are these Hoenn rangers ones."

"That'll do," Dawn grabs the half emptied pack of bandages from Ash, and begins to clean the small cut on May's forehead from the crash.

"For the love of all that is wholly and right, explain to me again why you thought it was alright to tackle someone in the middle of public?" Misty asks derisively, sitting on the other side of May atop her and Dawn's sofa.

"Hey I told you! I thought Dawn was gonna kick her in the naughty bits and then she'd get arrested for hurting a princess!"

"A princess?" Iris asks with furrowed brows of confusion, to which Ash just shrugs helplessly.

"A pretty girl in a dress, what else does it really take to be one?"

"I dunno, part of the right bloodline probably," Drew points out distractedly.

"Ouch.!"

"Sorry babe," Dawn winces sympathetically, dabbing the blemish on May's forehead with a cotton ball. "I'm about done."

"Does it look completely awful?" she asks, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I mean it's definitely not what's catching the eye for this particular look," Misty offers with a _way_ too peppy smile. May returns it ten fold, completely oblivious.

"Gee thanks Missy!"

"Ah it's _Misty_ … with a T…"

May just flickers her gaze back towards dawn without acknowledging the correction, though Misty supposes it's more her bing totally flighty over purposely rude.

"Wow DeeDee, you've really got some amazing friends out here in the city."

"Hah, trust me fam, they're all actually a bunch of losers when it comes down to it."

"Shut your trap _DeeDee_ ," Gary shrugs between her and the brunette, putting a ginger hand on May's bare shoulder, and giving her one of his most darling of grins— all pearly white teeth, and unadulterated charisma. "You know we're totally here for you too May. Me and Ashy boy are just across the hall if you need _anything_."

"Oh—erm, thank you?"

"Drew!" Dawn calls out, glaring at Gary all the while.

"On it," Drew says, already having begun to stand up. He pulls Gary by the ear, out of the apartment and into the one across the hall. Chiding all the while about Gary owing a crisp twenty to the douchebag jar.

"Wait Drew, what'd you mean by bloodlines? Is it like in Game of Poke-masters! Drew! Drew c'mon tell me!" Ash calls out, the door slamming shut behind him.

Exasperated, Iris shakes her head at the trio.

"Such kids, I swear."

"I dunno, they're sweet," May contends ingenuously, , sweeping her long locks to the side as she adjusts her posture..

"Right… So back to you-"

"Oh hush Missy," May interjects with an abashed flapping to her hand. "I hate talking about little old me.. I'd love to know more about you and Iris over here! DeeDee's always been so amazing at picking such wonderful friends!"

"Nice humble brag," Dawn smirks, and May winks back conspiratorially.

"How long have you guys known one another anyways?" Iris asks, lounging back in the love seat to their right.

"Since like we were toddlers," Dawn answers with a serene sort of smile. "Our mom's were real close friends back in Lilycove, and they were so excited that they were having baby girls around the same time that they made us practically do everything together. Like legit, _everything_. We were practically attached by the hip."

"We were even on the same cheer squad back in high school," May boasts, curling a lock of her hair around her distinctly bare ring finger. "I was the top of the pyramid, and DeeDee over here was the very bestest base on the whole squad!" May crows. "But you probably can't do that anymore, huh? look at you now," May jostles one of Dawn's slender arms. "You're absolutely teeny-tiny. Just as pretty though!"

"Thanks May," she grimaces, never being one for compliments, but also loves how May has been the one person who's always made Dawn feel just as stunning as her— even when she was feeling her worst.

"I would've pummeled both of you if we went to high school together," Misty tells them pointblank, to which Iris just nods along.

"Hey! Rude! Haven't you ever heard that you catch more Beedril with honey over vinegar," Dawn scolds.

Misty just shrugs, unaffected.

"Still would've probably tried shaving your heads during gym class or something."

"What kind of gym class did you go to?" May blinks up at her owlishly.

"One for big red bullies," Dawn answers in a huff.

"Love you too drama queen."

"Oh you guys are just so cute," May clutches a hand against her chest. "'S so sad that we grew apart Dawn," May pouts, big blue eyes shimmering with despair. "You really were my bestest friend, you know that? I wonder whatever happened to us?"

"Well I went to make a name for myself out here in Slateport, and you went to that prissy preparatory school your mom went too, and I guess the distance just wasn't working for us."

"And then you ended up in the middle of a coffee shop wearing a straight up wedding gown," Misty tacks on helpfully.

"Yuh, let's get to that part of the story!" Iris leans closer to them. "So what the hell happened?"

"Oh, hah, I guess that wasn't very sly of me ay?" May chuckles, abashed.

"No, no it wasn't," Misty says,, deadpanned.

"So what happened babe?" Dawn presses, taking hold of one of her hands in support.

May scoots around uncomfortably for a few minutes more before finally just collapsing back on the couch, relenting over their prodding.

"Well you remember Brendan?"

Misty and iris are as blank faced as always, but Dawn is downright balking at her.

"Oh my Mew! You mean Brendan Birch? Like country club Brendan? Like summertime fling Brendan? Like—"

"Yes, yes you know who I'm talking about, no need to go on," May sniffs. "Well around the time we graduated, he moved back to Hone from Johoto permanently, and our summer thing kind of seeped into a year around thing—"

"Oh My Mew! No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Psst Misty, I think May's reverted Dawn back to her DeeDee persona."

Dawn gives Iris the bird before returning her attention to the story.

"Well then what?"

Well my daddy caught us totally full on snogging during Thanksgiving that year and he was just so incredibly happy, cause you know how much he just adores professor Birch and all his research about— well erm whatever it is he researches. And ever since he'd gotten promoted to the elite four , he thought me and Max needed to be more serious in like our careers and image and junk."

"Serious how?" Misty asks with a striking pang of familiarity, scowling at the memory of her sisters, and all the theatrics they adored ever so much, even at the expense of the credibility of their gym. A credibility Misty's trying to rebuild to the standards her parents had left it before their premature deaths.

"He never said it outright, but me and Max figured it was like more politically inclined stuff… Ya know, like keeping a good image for the Maple name."

"Right, but how does country club Brendan get roped into this?"

"Well I couldn't just break up with him!" May toots, clucking her tongue at Dawn. "And I mean I was totally in love with him and all— but then he asked to marry me and the only thought i had was that my life is over! Not how beautifully the ring sparkled, or the excitement to finally plan my princess wedding. Or not even how much I love him… Just that my life was over. And then this morning he texts me that he wants to wear his damn hat during the exchanging of our vows, and well… I just lost it! I tore off my veil and climbed out the bathroom window while no one was watching.

"Oh wow."

"Yiyks."

"I'm so sorry," they all chorus.

"Oh gosh, I just ruined everything, didn't I!" May sobs, crashing her tear streaked face into Dawn's shoulder. Frantic, Dawn just tries to rub soothing circles on her back.

"Oh no babe, there's no need to worry! Everything's fine!"

Crestfallen, Misty leans down to May— pushing her hair out of her face.

"Sorry to break it to you May, but whenever Dawn says that, 's probably when you should be worrying the most."

May sobs louder, Iris gives a reluctant smile, and Dawn glares with all the fury she could muster in all her ninety pounds.

"Ash!" Gary exclaims once he spots his flat mate stumbling out of his room, and towards the fridge to pull out a beer, Pikachu following right behind him. "Tell Drew he's being a complete doofus for not going out tonight."

"Shut up Gary, I never asked for your opinion."

"Oh, wait I thought you had that date with that Briana girl?" Ash asks with a cocked brow, Pikachu beginning to nibble on his food from where he's perched on the countertop besides him.

"That's what I'm saying!" Gary laments.

"Look," Drew cuts his gaze at the pair of them, words edged with a note of finality he rarely feels the need to deploy. "'S just… Seeing Maple again… Just some old memories came to the forefront, and I'd really rather not be on a date with one chick, knowing that all the while I'd be thinking, and trying to parse out how I feel about another. It's not fair to her, or myself."

"OH my Mew, what's with this holier than thou bullshit you've got going on," Gary snarls with a glower.

"'s not bullshit ass, it's the truth. And even if it weren't for May— I— I'm still not over Marina okay…"

"Oh man! are you serious!" Gary sighs. "You guys broke up like _months_ ago bro! It's seriously not healthy holding on to all that baggage."

"'S not baggage! We were _engaged,_ I thought we were gonna spend the rest of our lives together!" Drew folds onto the raggedy couch, arms crossed tight against his chest. "So yeah, excuse me if I'm not ready to just let go of her, if I'm not as blasé as you are with who ever you're seeing for whatever particular week."

Gary rolls back his entire head, eyes alone most definitely not enough to omit his exasperation.

"Listen dweeb, I do _not_ give a flying fuck how you're still so woefully hung up on a girl who left your ass without a second thought. " "But trust me bro, to get over one girl, you get under another. it's common fucking sense! Like the rules of physics or how there could never be enough hair gel!"

"Sounds logical," Ash shrugs, and Drew feels his head pulse.

"I really need new friends man. Or we need to take the douchebag jar up a notch. Like me and Ash get to hit you every time you spew out bullshit."

"Oh come off it prick," Gary gripes, tossing one of the browning apples on the counter top against the back of Drew's green head. "Now look, i'm never gonna be this sincere to you again… But you're fucking awesome bro. Probably only one of the guys in this city as sexy as me, and you're not dumb, and you have a decent fucking job. You're the type of dude chicks would totally throw themselves at if you acted like you'd actually greet any of their attention with something other than a nasty grimace. So just get over Marina! Okay! Stop tihinking about her! Give her all the crap you still have! And go out with us tonight. Try to get a life again, huh?"

Drew frowns, distressed.

"Wholly hell, I think you've actually got a point."

"Yuh dude, no fucking duh I do." He clicks on the television right before their's a buzzing to their door. "Ash get it."

"Huh, no way! THis's my favorite episode of Hoenn Rangers! They totally kick the bad guys's ass!"

"Oh fine loser, enjoy your stupid cartoons!"

Gary storms to the front door, swinging it open to reveal a pretty girl, with big sapphire eyes, and curly hair to match. Her hands are locked behind er back and a small, timid smile that turns up the corners of her mouth.

"Oh… Hey Garry. Is Drew here?" she says sweetly, if not a bit awkward.

"Ahh—-"

He slams the door shut on her face.

"Drew never mind bro, let's make it a bros night! We'll stay in here, kay?"

Ash and Drew look at him confusedly.

"Misty's staring unfocussed at the ceiling, stretched out on the couch, with her feet propped up on Dawn's lap, and a bowl of crisps on her flat belly. All the while, they're both trying to block out the incessant ringing of May's cellphone on their kitchen table a few feet away.

"Hey Dawn?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's the weirdest place a guy asked you to lick him?"

The bluenette sets down the issue of _Coordinator's weekly_ she was reading, giving the question some contemplation.

"Once Lucas asked me to lick the small of his back… But that was only cause we were using whip cream, and it kinda got everywhere~"

"Huh, never took'm for the kinky type."

Dawn just nods malleably, opening back up her magazine before their door suddenly swings open and Ash comes scrambling in.

"Guys! I need snacks! Now!"

The give him twin frowns of confusion.

"Erm, sure…? Top cabinet, to the left."

"No sweat, I already know," Ash waves her off, tossing different sorts of sweets on the table before heading to their fridge.

"How?" Dawn marvels. "I found a new hiding place _last_ night."

"What's that buzzing?"

Dawn rolls her eyes at his intentional dodge.

"May's phone. She's showering so she can't pick up, and it _just won't stop ringing_."

"Okay… Why don't you just I dunno… turn it off?"

Misty pouts at him, flailing her arm lazily. "'S just so far away."

"Hey don't you judge us Ash Ketchum!" Dawn toots. "You're the one who came barging in here for all our food!"

"Yuh, what's going on? did Drew's date like paint a portrait of'm or something? And you wanna watch his freak out in style?"

"Oh naw, Drew totally canceled on Brianna. 'S even better! You guys remember his ex Marina?"

Dawn blanches. "You mean Marina… Marina who broke their engagement and broke my brother's heart Marina?"

"The blue haired chick who left him for her cute, female yoga instructor before they could get married?" Misty summarizes alternatively.

"Yup," Ash nods obliviously. "Well guess what? She came around our place like an hour ago to speak with Drew, and apparently she's totally pregnant!"

Misty and Dawn jump out of there seats in shock.

"Oh MY GOSH!" Dawn balks sympathetically.

"ShUT THE FUCK UP!" Misty guffaws.

"I know! I know!" Ash gushes impishly. "It's crazy."

"I need to go see how he's doing," Dawn runs across the hall.

"Oh I need to ask her if she can see fi it has green hair like Drew's."

"Wait up guys!" Ash calls out, hands piled up with different sorts of chips and cookies. "I need some help here!"

"You guys!" May yells from the bathroom to the now empty apartment. "Can someone bring me a towel…"

She doesn't get a responce.

"Pleaseeee… I'm _nude_."

 **Author's Note: Seriously fam, thank you so so so much to all the peeps who put this on their alerts and favs already, it means the world fam! But legit, a huge shout out to the beyond gorgeous sugarplums who left a review!**

 ** _UniqueElla_**

 ** _Mokkel_**

 ** _The Insane Redneck_**

 ** _You guys are what stars are made of_**

 ** _IMPORTANT QUESTION:_**

 ** _Alright, so i've been writing these couple chapters in like one sitting, and they're so much fun, and i love this series so much so far! However! I also feel like there might not be an exactlyplotted out series of event for the overall arc of this story…_**

 ** _SO I was wondering, would you guys prefer my continuing this as a chaptered story, or rather, would you like me writing a series of unconnected one shots inspired by Friends episodes with the pokeani cast?_**

 ** _I would seriously love any of your input!_**

 ** _All of my love!_**

 ** _~Lennix_**


	3. The One With The Blackout

**Author's Note: Thank you so so much to all you incredibly lovely souls who have commented on my previous chapters, it truly means the world to see that you'd sure som time to let me know what you thought! I've got a new passion for this silly little series and can't wait to continue it.**

 **This episode was requested by SnadWick on Tumblr33 Pleaseeee request me any episode you'd like to see written out for this AU! You can do so through the reviews below, PM, or through my Tumblr inbox CoordinatorPrincess3 Seriously your prompts are what will keep this story going lolXD**

"'s just the nerves," Iris explains from where she's perched on the couch, dawn and Misty flocking her sides with twin expressions of sympathy. Drew tries to give her his undivided attention too— be a good friend and listen to her dilemma so to try and come up with a solution— But in all honesty, Drew's focus wavers every few seconds, and his gaze flickers towards where May's perched right beside him on the arm of the couch. Looking Effortlessly beautiful in her fetching new waitress uniform, and long locks swept back into a messy knot atop her head.

Oh Mew, he's beyond lost on her.

"They always eat me up when I have to perform in front of a crowd," Iris continues, her Axew humming sympathetically from where it's lounging on her lap.

"it's just open mike night at the coffee shop we live above…" Gary deadpans, unimpressed. "I mean if people haven't joined together to rampage over Maple getting their orders wrong on the daily, I'm _sure_ they won't be tossing rotten tamato berries at you."

"Oh Arceus you think they'll have Tamato berries ready to toss if i'm awful!" Iris balks with widened eyes.

"I am so not that bad at waitressing! Stop being a meanie!" May in turn pouts with crossed arms and a wrinkled nose.

"Yes to both points," Gary taunts with a leer.

Dawn cocks her brow at Drew, and he complies to her silent plea to cuff his oldest friend on the back of the head.

"Ouch Dawn!" he exclaims knowingly.

"Stop being a weenie," she sniffs before turning her attention back to Iris's nervous form. "And don't you listen to him Iris, you're a fabulous musician. You'll blow them all away!"

"No Dawn, I won't. Not in front of crowds at least. Just imagining them staring at me! Judging if I do one wrong move! Or sing off key! Oh Mew I can't do this!" She starts to hyperventilate, pressing her legs against her chest, and her partner pokemon opts to hop onto her head instead.

"Imma gonna get a bag for her to barf into," Ash announces before jogging to the back of the cafe.

"Look Iris," Drew— the ever voice of reason— hunches forward to look her straight in the eyes. (He _really, really_ tries not getting lost on the scent of coconut that seems to be always clung to May's sunny disposition from next to him.) "Just go up their, shake off the nerves, and give this crowd a show. You're crazy talented and they'll all love you."

"Hate to agree with pretty boy, but when he's right, _he's right_."

"Love you too Mist."

She winks cheekily at him while excepting the brownbag from Ash, Everyone studiously not mentioning that May probably should've been the one to grab it, on account of her working here. But then again considering that Wally, her employer, has the conflict of interest of being also utterly smitten with her, May more likely than not has nothing to worry about.

"I'll tell you a trick I always do before I've gotta get on stage for a contest," she offers with a too bright grin.

Drew hikes his brow at her, intrigued, but not more so than Iris who practically leaps off her seat to come closer to May.

"Oh please, any help will do!"

"Yeah May. I'm actually shocked, I never thought you of all people would have stage fright." Dawn says incredulously.

"That's cause my technique is full proof," she winks.

"Stop teasing me already!" Iris exclaims.

"Righteo!" May crows with a lilt that Drew can't help but be endeared by. "So I just walk up in front of everyone, close my eyes, take a deep breath," she pauses to demonstrate after each step. Drew finds it absolutely precious. "And then I picture myself naked in front of the crowd. And boom! I win!"

"Ah May darling," Dawn says tentatively with furrowed brows. "I think you've got that backwards."

"What do you mean DeeDee?" She blinks owlishly at her.

"Oh, it's just erm. You're s'pose to imagine the crowd naked, so they're like more vulnerable than you are, and it'll take the pressure off of you."

May wrinkles her nose, totally disgusted looking.

"Oh gross, no way. Can you imagine Mr Contesta in the nude! He's like old an greying! At least I know I have a killer body so even if I mess up, I'll still look fantastic and they'll applaud that at least."

"Right," Misty snorts, and May smiles back agreeably. "That's some sound reasoning barbie."

"Thanks Mist!"

"I'm very confused on what to do," Iris says with a dejected frown.

"No time to think bout it babe," May stands up. "I've gotta call you up now since you're starting off the whole night. So shut your eyes, breathe in, and imagine your pretty little self is totally naked."

May skips off to the makeshift stage, leaving more questions than when she came.

"She is something else…"

"I think the word you're looking for lover boy is flighty as all get out," Gary interjects, and Drew doesn't bother to argue.

"Okay folks let's welcome on a totally rad, sweetie pie named Iris, who's gonna play us a little diddle.!"

The group give Iris mutterings of good luck amidst the light rumbling of applause, watching as she follows May's instructions to a tee, leaning closer to the mike to begin her song while her eyes are still shut. What Drew doesn't expect is for all the lights to suddenly flicker off completely before she has a chance to sing a singular note.

"May!" Iris shrieks from her tiny pedestal. "Something went wrong! Now I can't see anything!"

"I can't believe it's a full city black out," Dawn laments, swatting Misty's legs off their coffee table to get through to the kitchen from the balcony.

"Yuh, I'm so pissed! I was gonna take this chick out to the contest tonight, but they rescheduled it."

Iris side eyesGary so hard, Drew's afraid she's gonna strain something.

"In all seriousness Gare, do you ever think of anyone besides yourself?"

"Occasionally," he offers with a one armed shrug.

"Well if it makes you feel better, I wanted to ring up Marina to check up on her and my unborn child, but my phone's just died. So I guess we're both screwed… I mean me more so since i'm not a completely selfish prick, but ya know… We're both screwed."

"Ooo," May perks, jumping right off her seat. "My dork of a brother just bought me this portable charger that'll charge your phone like ten times over before it dies! I'll grab it for you!"

Dawn follows suit under the guise of changing into some comfortable yoga pants and jumper, but Drew reckons she's going to make sure May doesn't accidentally get lost in Narnia while rummaging through her pile of suitcases she still has yet to sort out in her newly acquired room.

"Alright it's been like fifteen minutes, Ash and Misty better not be making out while we freeze here in the dark," Iris harrumphs, slamming the door behind her, but drew gives it little mind. He's still smiling like a lune towards where May disappeared off too in search of the charger.

"It's never gonna happen," Gary shutters Drew's daydreams with a singsong tone of voice, eyes teeming with unadulterated amusement. Drew jolts back, flickering his gaze to the auburn haired researcher obliviously.

"What's never gonna happen?" He huffs out in a pathetic excuse of a laugh— it feels like some sort of cold hand has just gripped his heart he's so nervous.

"You know exactly what I mean Hayden," Drew just continues on staring blankly at him— challengingly. But Drew's known this boy since primary school, of course Gary's not gonna just back down that easily. "Look, Maple's hot and all and I totally get your endeavors on trying to tap that, but you my friend are securely in the friend zone."

"The _friend_ zone," Drew repeats flatly, giving a rote flip to his hair.

"Oh for sure man. She looks at you and thinks of you as her surrogate brother. You're the guy she'll talk to about what the guy she actually likes means from a text he'll send her. Or the guy she asks for an opinion on her outfit. Definitely not the guy she wants to help her take it off if you know what I mean."

"Of course I know what you mean," Drew grouses with a scowl. "That was incredibly forward."

"Forward but accurate."

"No, you are just wrong! I am not equivalent to Max in May's eyes," Drew scoffs, tacitly owning up to the feelings Gary can seemingly easily read as plastered all over his face. But Drew can't help it. May simply does not seem him like that— she _can not_ see him like that. Just no! Sure they've known each other since tots, and he's her best friend's older brother, and yeah he's had some sort of crush on her since for ever and she in turn hasn't given him the time of day in that sort of light… But still— she _does not_ see him like that.

"Yes she does lover boy, simple science. You plus May equals friend zone."

Drew can begin to feel his stomach tumble into knots, and his face going ashen as Gary's words slowly piece together into reality. He sits down while his world teeters off orbit.

"Oh man, I think you're actually right."

Gary just rolls his eyes, exasperated.

"Well duh."

"How can I fix this! Can I fix this! What is there to fix!" Drew suddenly knows how Iris was feeling before her performance. Panicked, and terrified… Hell, he wants Ash to bring'm a bag to vomit into.

"Hey, man it's fine. You're ace, you just need to put it all out there with her."

Drew gives him a one eyed squint, skeptical.

"Put what out there?"

"Alright, so let's just stop fronting right here if you want any of my help. You're hot for Maple and she's probably the most dense person on this entire planet— and that's including Ashy-boy— so you're gonna have to just suck it up and admit to her that you think she's your everything, and it'd be totally awesome if—"

Gary's words stutter to a stop the moment one of the bedroom doors swing open and Dawn struts in with a curious gleam to her gaze.

"What'd be awesome?" She asks, grabbing a bag of pita chips from one of the coverts behind them.

"Oh ah, um… We can't tell you…"

"Nice save Sherlock," Drew gripes at him before meeting Dawn's praising stare head on. It's kind of ridiculous that he's so afraid of his baby sister, even when she's standing in front of him with frumpy sweats, and her hair tied into a messy topknot, and feet clad in fuzzy Buneary slippers.

"Drew, what does Gary mean you can't tell me? Since when do we keep secrets?"

"Oh ah—" His mind goes completely blank. "'S just we're planning out a surprise party for your birthday next month!"

A split second goes by where Drew's terrified she won't take the bate, but then her face brightens ten fold and her grin threatens to split her face right in half.

"Oh My Mew! For reals?"

"Yeah, yeah of course, but shhh. May's really excited about this and she doesn't wanna ruin the surprise, so don't tell her you know, okay?"

"Oh totally!" She practically squeals with a giddy little hop. "My surprised face is perfected! "S the same one I use for my fake orgasms!"

"Oh… wow… So things your brother doesn't need to know for a thousand Alex."

"Hmm, I wonder if a chick ever did that with me?"

"More likely than not Gare."

"Okay, so this is so not the important part of this conversation. Dawn, you'll keep this on the DL?"

She nods gleefully.

"Great."

"Hey guys we found some more candles across the hall!"

"I found them Ash," Iris huffs, taking one f the Pikachu shaped sticks from his grasp and marching to find a lighter. "You and Misty were otherwise occupied till I got in there and finally did some work."

"'S fine, me and Drewy over here had a really important conversation while you guys were gone."

"Yeah, you guys did," Dawn winks, not even slightly subtle.

"Yo DeeDee, why you doing that to your face," Drew elbows Gary to shut it. "Oh— ah right. Never mind I get it now."

Drew can't even believe the web he's gotten himself into.

"I'm sorry I took so long," May bounds down to Drew. "I had to call'm to figure out how it works, and then he was complaining to me about his studies and junk."

"It's fine," Drew says with a tepid grin, looking at her earnest. "Thank you so much for letting me borrow it."

"OH don't sweat it Drew," she waves him off with a giggle. "You should just keep it. Mew knows I'll never use it, and if you're gonna be a daddy you need to be mega prepared."

Drew realizes he's been staring at her for a tad too long without speaking when Gary coughs abrasively to get his attention.

"Yo, isn't it a beautiful night."

"It's pitch black out there," Misty snorts.

"Yuh whateva Mist. Just bring a couple candles out there with you and it'd totally be the perfect canvas to I dunno, have a really important conversation? Don't you agree Andrew?"

He says it with an extremely obvious wink.

"Gary have I ever told you just how much I despise you?"

"Sure tuns of times! But you know you've never said that about Maple over here, so maybe you should take her out there that have a talking with, huh?"

"OH don't worry Gary he use to say he hates me all the time," May titters, sitting besides Dawn crossed legged on the couch.

"What?" Drew balks. "May I have never said that to you!"

"Oh sure you did!" She contends, the moonlight from the open balcony touching the tops of her jutting cheekbones, and playing with the juncture where her pale hair meets her porcelain neck. She looks like a beautiful portrait.

"You remember right Dawn? The time he got Lisa Bradshaw to come into his treehouse where he'd snogg all his little girlfriends, and we came in with water balloons to ruin all there fun."

The pair of best friends dissolve into peals of laughter over the memory.

"OH right! You would snipe at us for the whole next week over how much you hate us and how bothersome we were."

"May, I have never hated you a day in my life," Drew says with way to intense of inflection, but he doesn't even care. He needs her to know that at the very least… Even if Drew'll never muster up enough courage to tell her the extent of his emotions regarding her.

Theres a bit of a gap in conversation, until Gary levels his gaze with Drew and nudges his head towards the balcony. With a deep inhale, Drew just throws all caution to the wind.

"May can you help me with something real quick on the balcony?"

She blinks up at him owlishly, obviously confused, but also being the saint that she was would never begrudge anyone anything.

"Sure hun, no problem."

Surprisingly, Gary's right, it is a beautiful night.

The late summer air tickles there faces with a light breeze, and the black out makes it so the stars can squint through the pollution and glimmer in the midnight cloak. It's really something beautiful, but still doesn't even compare to May. May and all her bright affability and ingenuous compassion. She's dimpling up at Drew now, eyes shimmering a thousand splendid colors of blue, and grey, and green once the moonlight sparkles in the deep depths of them. She's the closest thing to a Disney Princess come to life that Drew has ever witnessed, and it makes his heart thud pleasantly thinking that she's actually here with him— He privately thinks a daft mistake that she ever grew to care for him as a friend, but thanks all his lucky angels that she never changed her mind.

Oh Mew, is he actually doing this… Is he actually risking all they have for the chance of something more.

"Drew," she steps closer, he can still smell coconuts when she does. "Is everything okay? You look like you're gonna be sick."

He feels himself flush, and can only offer her a timid, little smile.

"Yeah, yeah I'm great May… I just, erm I wanted to talk to you about something?"

"Oh? What's up?" She asks with her open face tilted curiously, and her hand squeezing his for silent support.

Oh Mew, he's so lost on her, he really and truly is.

"May we've known on eanother for a long time— ah, for years really," she nods, nudging him along. "Well, I think of you in high regard May, you must know that, right?"

She quirks a brow at him, answering with little more than a noncommittal shrug with one of her bare shoulders— She'd slipped on a frilly, black night gown the second they all clambered to her and Dawn's apartment after Iris's abysmal performance (the poor thing). But hoenstly, Drew'd be more than willing to switch places with her if it meant he didn't have to be staring into May's expectant gaze with his chest dragging heavy with all the secrets he wants to disclose.

"Well May, you're great in my eyes— a great performer, and a great person. And I think that I'm great too, you know," her eyes hike up right then, gaze focussed on something above his shoulder. "Oh, no not in like a cocky sort of way, just erm, I really like you… I mean obviously as a friend and—"

"Oh Drew!"

"Oh May!" He yells back excitedly, because maybe she was able to understand without him saying any words at all.

"Watch out!"

"Wha?" Suddenly, there's a pink, fluffy ball leaping on his head and Drew's scrambling around in a strange dance.

"Get it off! Get it off!"

"Okay, okay, okay!" May squawks gleefully, putting her hands on his forearms to settle him down, and somehow effortlessly getting the Skitty to trust her and nestle into her embrace.

The fucking Skitty stole his thunder, and Drew has no idea how to react to that.

So instead of spending the night trading cotton candy kisses in May's bed, with promises of something more, he's instead begrudgingly agreed to walk around their apartment building with her in search of the Skitty's owner.

"Poor baby, all alone in the dark. You must've been so scared," she croons, carding a hand through it's fur. The Skitty just hums in responce, and Drew swears to Mew that it smirks at him, like it knows he wishes the roles were reversed.

The bastard.

"She's beautiful, you think it's owner is a coordinator too?" May asks absentmindedly.

"Maybe," Drew knocks on another door with no answer. "She's definitely got the spunk for it."

May giggles, and Drew relishes in the dulcet sound.

"You know Dawn use to say that's why I should join her and become one too. That I've got enough spunk and charm and beauty to be a coordinator, that it makes up for the fact I didn't grow up practicing like she had with you guys's mom. That we'd be on equal footing because of that."

"She's not wrong Maple, you are quite the charmer." Drew says without falter, knowing how eyes always seem to linger on her whenever she's in a room, how she can dole out sparkling words of sincerity that would warm the coldest of folks.

A Disney princess, truly.

Drew's kinda surprised when he sees the small, sad smile that curves her lips.

"I didn't believe her, I just wanted to follow my mommy's footsteps. You know she was on her way to becoming a Pokemon doctor before she married daddy."

Drew remembers Mrs Maple, a open faced, beautiful woman with striking eyes that almost look violet in some lights and long auburn hair that always smelled like daisies. She was always kind to Drew, and he remembers how much Norman seemed to be smitten by her— but even so, he never suspected that the matriarch of the Maple household was quite so… well smart.

"Yuh I know," May chortles knowingly. "I only found out recently, but then she got married and then pregnant with me and just dropped out of school to take up society life. And I always thought I wanted that, to bring up a girl and twin boys by day, and host tea parties and charity galas by night. All the while looking polished and perfect for my doctor husband," her voice tappers off right then while stepping through the door to the stairway that Drew holds open for her.

"But then?" He presses, amazed that she's even speaking so honestly to him, void of the glimmer and buoyancy that usually codes her words.

She turns to him once they reach the next floor, still looking defeated, and Drew hates that she's ever felt such a way.

"Then I married Brendan who I thought was the most perfect boy in the world, and I realized how unhappy I was, how there was no passion— no meaning in my life." She swipes a hand across her eye, discretely sweeping away a few tears that threaten to fall.

"OH May," Drew's voice breaks off right then, seriously incapable of watching her in any sort of pain.

"I'm fine, really," she gives him a wobbly smile and half hearted thumbs up. "'s just, I've already been here for like three months, and yeah I love coordinating and performing with my beautiful pokemon, but— but." He takes her hand, squeezes it with the reassurance she so obviously needs.

"What if I never find that great love Drew? What if I never have a great passion in my life? And I'm actually meant to end up alone."

"Nonsense," he scolds with no heat.

"I've never really felt that sort of way with any of my Exs either," May contends. "Maybe I'm just meant for a life of contentment and interesting conversation… Probably nothing more."

"May stop it," Drew continues to argue.

"Drew, it's okay, I should just except it—"

"May, believe me," he pleads, boring his eyes into her's, _green piercing blue_. "I know that your future holds a great passion, a great love that you're just on the cusp of realizing. I promise."

May gives him a crooked smile, obviously touched.

"Thanks Drew."

"Always Maple," he swears, pressing a kiss to her forehead, and studiously not mentioning the fact that he hopes to be that great love, if he ever has the guts to tell her so. "Now c'mon, let's find this Skitty's trainer, huh?"

"Oh hey, you're finally back," Dawn greets when Drew walks into the apartment. "So you found that Skitty's home?"

"More like we gained a tick," Drew replies derisively.

"What do you mean?" Ash asks with knitted brows, completely oblivious to Iris switching the pieces around in their chess game behind his back.

Drew doesn't bother to expound on his comment, considering that they're right behind him.

"Hey everyone!" May crows with a wide grin that brightens her lovely face tenfold. "This's Calam," she gestures to the fit looking guy next to her holding Skitty.

"Bonjour!" He says with a wave, stupidly handsome face never straying from May's direction. "Et merci ma belle." he kisses the back of May's hand with far too much intimacy.

"heeHee," she chortles with a gush. "He's from Kalos."

"Oh this's great!" Gary squawks with a cackle.

Drew hates everything. "

 **Author's Note: Thank you so so much for reading! And again, pretty please LMK if there's a particular episode or storyline you'd like to see written out in this Au33**

 **All My Love**

 **~Len**


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